Image via Vintage Lulu, found in Flappers & the Jazz Era photo pool.
Jazz Era music is fun. A little goes a long way (some songs were only meant for dog’s ears), but when it’s good, it’s really good–and the lyrics can be v. amusing (e.g. “You Gonna Look Like a Monkey When You Get Old“). Four online sources for Jazz Age swing:
- One good bet is the WFUV’s The Big Broadcast, a weekly radio show featuring music from the ’20s & ’30s. Hosted by Rich Conaty, the show plays every Sunday from 8 pm to midnight; the last two broadcasts are available online as streaming audio. Conaty also has a nice set of web recommendations (via getTRIO).
- One commenter recommended the similar WAMU 88.5’s Hot Jazz Saturday Night, which features jazz from the 1920s through ’40s.
- Fans of Bertie Wooster’s singing will appreciate this set of links. Unfortunately, the official Jeeves & Wooster soundtrack has been removed, but you can still catch some of the songs on YouTube (e.g. “47 Ginger Headed Sailors“).
- Metafilter also has a good set of pre-1950s music links.